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Jacqueline “Jackie” Crazybull was born into a big Blackfoot family on Oct. 8, 1963. She was a middle child, a young girl who grew up mentoring those around her. Her sister describes her as a doer -- the kind of person who initiated family and community gatherings.

Sandra Manyfeathers says Jackie was a lot like their mother.

“My mother really showed us by example how to live a good life,” she said.

Jackie’s "take action" approach to life left an impact on her younger sister. A member of the Blood Tribe, Jackie was close to her culture and her family.

Manyfeathers recalls a day walking with Jackie through a wooded area looking for branches, which she needed for a particular Blackfoot game. When Manyfeathers tore a branch from a tree, her sister turned and looked at her.

“She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she wasn’t pleased. And I asked her 'What, why are you looking at me like that?'”

Manyfeathers recalled Jackie responding with, “Because [the tree is] living and you should respect all living things; all living beings are to be respected.”

She said it was a profound realization.

“I always remember that, and to this day I have a lot of respect for living things and living beings," Manyfeathers said.

"And for her to be killed the way she was, it’s just, she didn’t deserve to be killed that way … for someone that had such value and such respect for life.”

It was a summer day in July 2007 when Jackie’s life was ended unexpectedly. It’s perhaps not surprising to hear that when strangers pulled up in a vehicle asking for help, she responded.

It was Stampede time in Calgary. Jackie was living in the northeast part of the city and was working for her home community at the time. Manyfeathers said on that particular day, she had just gotten something to eat with her cousin.

“She got up and just went, and she was going to help them, and then they quickly stabbed her and then drove off,” she said.

A single stab wound killed Jackie. She was 43.

“She was discarded on the street,” said Manyfeathers.

It was described as a random stabbing rampage in the news. Four other people were attacked that day, but Jackie was the only person who died.

Manyfeathers says a pair of investigators were assigned to the case. She speaks highly of their commitment in those early days -- gathering evidence, staying in touch with the family, putting together a re-enactment of what happened.

“And then shortly after that, they weren’t on the case anymore, and I’ve never heard from police," she said.

Manyfeathers said she hasn’t spoken with Calgary police since those first two years after Jackie’s death. According to a 2009 CBC story, Calgary police said they had three suspects at the time, but not enough evidence to lay charges against them.

“We’re still looking for somebody to be charged in her murder,” Manyfeathers said.

By "we," she was also referring to Jackie’s children, who she says are still looking for justice for their mother.

These days, Manyfeathers doesn’t speak highly of the police investigation. In fact, she rates it very poorly.

“I really believe that as a law-abiding citizen, you should be afforded some type of justice. But that just isn’t the case. I’ve just never seen justice,” she said.

“Justice in terms of First Nations people, it just doesn’t exist in Canada.”

Since her sister’s death, Manyfeathers has been rallying the community on behalf of her big sister, such as by organizing "Justice for Jackie" walks through Calgary to honour Jackie and all missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada.

As far as a national inquiry goes, Manyfeathers says she might support one, but only if it was led by First Nations people.

“As we know from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People, there were hundreds of recommendations that were put forward to the government that were never acted upon,” she said.

“So it’s going to need to be some kind of First Nations lead that is going to make a difference for us, and we’re already starting the process. We’re not sitting idle.”